ORLANDO - Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn is gone, taking over as the head coach of the Washington Commanders. That means two NFC East showdowns annually moving forward, and it means so many Cowboys players who have deep affection for their former boss are speaking out about the emotion involved.
Here at the Pro Bowl in Orlando, for instance, DaRon Bland was asked if it would be weird to face Quinn now that the coach he loved had flipped to a Dallas rival by joining the Commanders.
"Oh yeah, it’s gonna be fun, though,'' said Bland, the cornerback who just finished his second season in the NFL by leading the league with nine interceptions, five of which he returned for touchdowns, helping propel him to become both a Pro Bowler and a first-team All-Pro. "They’re getting a great coach, a great man, somebody that’s gonna lead them the right way.''
Despite losing Quinn to a division rival in Washington, Bland - who this week joins Dallas' Micah Parsons as a finalist for NFL Defensive Player of the Year - still spoke highly of him when talking to CowboysSI.com exclusively during a Pro Bowl workout. ... and his comments resonate especially in comparison to national media types and fans who don't truly understand what Quinn brought to the table in Dallas, where he spend three years engineering a massive defensive turnaround.
Said Bland: "He doesn’t treat you like he’s your coach. He tried to treat you like he’s a brother, a player, another guy you can talk to. ... I love him.''
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